The Lion, The Wizard and The Vanishing Cabinet
by Dudette13
Summary: When Ron and Ginny, and their friends Harry and Hermione, stay with the odd Professor Dumbledore, they have no idea of the adventures ahead of them... all because of one cabinet. Parody to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, obviously.
1. Ginny Looks Into a Wardrobe

**A/N:** I've been writing this for awhile now, and a few weeks ago I got a PM from szabatka2 asking to post it. So… da da da da! I did!As I've been writing this for awhile,I already have seven-and-a-bit chapters written, so I'll postthem whenever I can be bothered. Lol. Oh, **Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny think that they're muggles.** Just thought I should let you know.

**Disclaimer:** I own neither JKR nor C.S. Lewis' plot, characters, settings, dialogue etcetera, etcetera. Duh.

Once upon a time there were four children whose names were Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny. Harry, Ron and Hermione were all the best of friends, and Ginny was Ron's little sister who always tagged along with them. This story is about something that happened to them when they were within the care of a strange old man called Professor Dumbledore. He had no wife and he lived in a very large house with a housekeeper called Argus Filch.

The foursome came to stay with him one summer holiday. Harry and Hermione were supposed to be going to Ron's house, but his parents were called away to Romania by Ron and Ginny's older brother, Charlie. Dumbledore was a family friend, and he was happy to help them.

Professor Dumbledore was a very old man with a silvery beard and half-moon spectacles. When the children saw him they all liked him at once, but he was so odd that Ron, who was the light-headed one, wanted to laugh and had to keep pretending to cough to hide it.

As soon as they had said goodnight to the Professor and gone upstairs on the first night, the girls went into the boys' room to talk.

"Isn't this house awesome?" said Harry, who, as an orphan, had never seen such luxury in his life.

"Yeah," said Ron. "But the Professor's a mad old coot."

"I think he's an old dear." said Hermione. Ginny began to snigger. "Oh, come off it!" cried Hermione.

"Yeah, Ginny, lay off." said Ron, who had always had a secret thing for Hermione. "Anyway, isn't it time you were in bed?"

"Stop trying to be Mum." retorted Ginny. "And who are you to say when I'm going to bed? Go to bed yourself."

"Maybe we should _all_ go to bed." suggested Hermione. "Ginny and I are bound to get into awful trouble if we're found in your room this late."

"No you won't!" exclaimed Harry. "Does Professor Dumbledore seem like the kind of person who would care if we stayed up?"

"Filch would probably tell us off, though." commented Ron.

"What's that noise?" asked Ginny suddenly. They all fell quiet. There was a faint hooting sound from out the window. Ron, being the closest to the window sill, leant

to look outside.

"Bloody hell! A snowy owl!" he called. Harry, Hermione and Ginny all rushed quickly to have a look.

"Wicked!" whispered Harry.

"Imagine the wildlife there must be around here!" said Hermione. "There might be eagles!"

"Badgers!" said Ginny.

"Stags!" said Harry.

"Foxes!" said Ron.

But when the morning came, a heavy rain had settled over Professor Dumbledore's property.

"Of course it _would_ be raining." grumbled Ron.

"Oh, stop Ron." said Hermione. "I'm sure it'll clear up soon. In the meantime we can amuse ourselves inside. I wonder if the Professor has a library…"

"Er, why don't we just explore the house?" suggested Ginny, who knew perfectly well that there was no getting Hermione out of a library once she was inside.

The house was very interesting and old, not unlike Professor Dumbledore. Each room held something new and different, from whirring silver objects to bookshelves with dusty volumes that greatly interested Hermione.

In fact, the only room that didn't fascinate any of them in some way was a room they found about three quarters of an hour's way into exploring. This room was completely bare, apart from a built-in fireplace and a very dusty cabinet leaning against the wall.

"Nothing interesting in there!" announced Ron. Harry and Hermione agreed and left. But Ginny lagged back a little longer. After all, they hadn't looked inside the cabinet. There might be something amazing in there! So Ginny opened the door, and a few mothballs fell out. And inside the cabinet was… nothing. It was just a bare cupboard.

"I should have known there was nothing interesting inside such a cabinet." Ginny sighed. As if to prove this to herself, she rapped a knuckle on the wood at the back of the cabinet. Or, at least she tried to.

For when Ginny had tried to knock on the back of the cabinet, her hand had fallen straight through the solid wood.

"How funny." she muttered to herself. Now, Ginny was a curious girl. So, without thinking much of the consequences, she stepped entirely through the back of the cabinet.

She stepped out again. But what she saw was very confusing. She had stepped through the back of the cabinet, and come out again through the back of the cabinet! It was as though she had only turned around, instead of stepping through wood.

Ginny shrugged. She must have just imagined it.

"Ron! Hermione! Harry! Wait on!" she called. Slowly, she pushed open the cabinet door. But the spare room was on the other side of the cabinet no longer. Instead she was in a forest. Snow was upon the ground. "R-Ron? Hermione? Harry?" she asked half-heartedly.

Then she realised. She hadn't come back through the _same_ cabinet! The cabinet back in Professor Dumbledore's house had transported her to its pair! Which stood here, in this forest. Then Ginny shook her head. What was she on about? Cabinets transporting her to forests… she must have been dreaming. She pinched herself. Well, she wasn't dreaming.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud, and someone called; "Ouch!" Ginny looked up. Standing there was a giant. He had shaggy hair and a beard, black eyes, and was about twice the size of a normal man. He was hopping up and down on one leg, nursing the other one (Ginny suspected he must have stubbed his toe). The ground kept shaking as he landed. He was wearing a scarf, and carrying a pink umbrella. Ginny giggled. She thought he looked quite funny.

The giant looked up for the source of the giggle. He saw Ginny, and his eyes flicked back to the cabinet behind her.

"Blimey!" he muttered.

**A/N:** Alas, what a short chapter. Even shorter than the one in TLTW&TW book! This was actually quite similar to that chapter to that one – as the story gets on I'll vary the writing, too.


	2. What Ginny Found There

**A/N:** Blllleaargh! Short chapter! But, really, there wasn't much to include in this, so that's pretty much why. Oh yes, to the reviewer who mentioned; there weren't any fur coats because I didn't really think that coats would be kept in a _cabinet._ Duuuh.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I just got bored and fused them together.

Suddenly, Ginny remembered her manners.

"Good morning." she said in her rarely-used polite voice.

"G'mornin'." said the Giant. "Er, did you jus' come through tha' cabinet?"

"Yes." said Ginny.

"From where?" asked the Giant.

"The spare room in Professor Dumbledore's house." Ginny answered. She thought she saw a glint of recognition in the Giant's eyes, but the next second she thought she must have imagined it, when the Giant asked;

"An', er, are you a muggle?"

"A what?"

"A muggle. Someone tha' can't do magic."

"I'm not sure." replied Ginny. "I've never tried."

"Righ'" said the Giant. "Well, I'm Hagrid."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Ginny."

"Righ'" said Hagrid again.

"Erm, I don't suppose you could tell me where I am?" asked Ginny.

"Hogwarts."

"_Hogwarts?_" asked Ginny disbelievingly. She'd heard some odd names in her time, Dumbledore being one of them, but _Hogwarts_?

"Hogwarts School o' Witchcraft an' Wizardry." said Hagrid. "Or, a' least, it used to be." He added sadly.

"This forest is a school?"

"Not th' forest. These are jus' th' school grounds."

"Oh, right."

"Would you like ter come fer tea with me?" asked Hagrid suddenly.

"Rather!" said Ginny. She liked Hagrid, and was very hungry.

She followed Hagrid, who seemed to know the way well, out of the dark forest. The sight of what she saw made Ginny gasp. Sloping lawns of lush green grass led down to a large lake. The surface of it was still as glass and reflected the castle towering over it. The castle itself was amazing. It looked hundreds, even thousands, of years old, and there was something magical about it.

"Is that… a school?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah, tha's Hogwarts." said Hagrid proudly.

To Ginny's disappointment, Hagrid didn't lead her inside the castle, but to a small hut just outside of the forest. It seemed to be Hagrid's home, as he brought her inside. As soon as she stepped through the door, something wet and warm met her face. Ginny laughed, it tickled.

"Back, Fang. Back." said Hagrid. The wet thing stopped raking her face, and Ginny saw that it was a black boarhound.

Hagrid's hut was one room. There were hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling, and there was a bed with a patchwork quilt in the corner. There was a small table in the middle, with teacups and books such as _Men Who Love Dragons Too Much _and _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _placed upon it. Some may not have thought of it as a pleasant home, but Ginny found it cosy.

Hagrid put the kettle on, and not long after he gave her a cup of hot tea, whilst he sipped out of a tankard. He also gave her a rock cake, but it was so hard that Ginny couldn't bite into it. She wondered if Hagrid had used real rocks to make it.

Apart from the rock cakes, it was a wonderful tea. Hagrid told her stories of Hogwarts, and of his family, and the giant spiders in the forest. He told her of dragons, and how he had always wanted one, and the Ministry of Magic, and the famous Merlin.

Soon enough, Ginny realised that the others must be getting worried about her.

"Oh, Hagrid. I'm very sorry to stop you, but I must get back home. My brother and his friends will be getting very anxious."

"Righ'," said Hagrid distractedly. Then, unexpectedly, his bottom lip quivered. And before Ginny knew it, he was howling.

"Hagrid? What's is the matter?" asked Ginny, as Hagrid placed his head in his hands. "Do you want a cup of tea? Mum reckons it calms you down."

"Hagrid?" she said again, shaking his gigantic arm. "Please stop crying. Tell me what's wrong."

But Hagrid merely cried harder, so loudly that the pheasants on the roof shook.

"Hagrid!" Ginny yelled with a bite of impatience. "Stop! What on _earth _are you crying about?" Hagrid looked up. His eyes were red with tears.

"I'm cryin' because I have ter do summit I don' want ter do." he sobbed.

"What?"

"Well, You-Know-Who has-"

"Who's You-Know-Who?"

"He's the Dark Lord. His name's… V-Voldemort. An' he's ordered me ter capture anyone if I ever saw them come outta the vanishing cabinet."

"What?" asked Ginny, leaping to her feet. "But you won't, will you Hagrid?"

"If I don'," sobbed Hagrid. "He'll find ou'. And he'll kill me, an' Grawpy." Ginny didn't even ask who "Grawpy" was.

"But you _can't_, Hagrid. You're not a bad person. Please let me go." she pleaded. Hagrid stared at her for a second, then;

"O' course. Yer right."

"Thankyou, Hagrid." said Ginny. "I'll find my own way back, so that you don't get seen and into trouble."

Hagrid sniffed and grinned weakly.

"Yeh won' be able ter find yer own way back." He said. "I'll take yer." And so, Ginny and Hagrid made their way back to the cabinet.

"Bye, Hagrid." said Ginny. "I hope you won't get into any trouble for letting me go."

"Ar, I'll be fine." said Hagrid. He waved farewell, and Ginny ran straight back through the cabinet.

She emerged again in cabinet in the spare room. She could hear voices from out in the passageway as she pushed open the door.

"I'm here! I'm here!" she called. "I've come back! I'm alright!"

**A/N:** Aw. Isn't Hagrid cute? I think so. JKR better not kill him! That would be evil! Yes… review!


	3. Ron and the Cabinet

**A/N:** How y'all doing y'all? OK, another update, one that reveals that Ron is indeed Edmund! ("No, really?" go the sarcastic readers) At first I was going to make it Harry, and then Voldy could bribe him with treacle tart, but, nah, Harry has to be Peter.

**Disclaimer:** You'll all know I'm JKR when the seventh book comes out, and there's a new, unexpected twist – Dobby's tea cosy is a horcrux!

Ginny ran out of the room into the hall and found the other three.

"I'm alright." She panted. "I came back."

"What are you talking about, Ginny?" asked Hermione.

"What, haven't you all been wondering where I was?" asked Ginny.

"What do you mean?" said Ron. "Why would we be wondering where you were? You were with us a few seconds ago."

"But… but I've been away for hours!" said Ginny.

Ron, Hermione and Harry all stared at each other.

"Are you taking the Mickey?" asked Ron finally.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I mean that I've been away for hours! I went into the cabinet just after breakfast, and had tea with a giant, and-"

"Ginny, we've just had breakfast." said Hermione. "And we only just left the Cabinet Room."

"She's just making stuff up." said Ron to Harry and Hermione.

"No, Ron, I'm _not_!" exclaimed Ginny. "It's a magic cabinet! There's a forest inside it, and it's snowing there, and there's a giant called Hagrid and wizards and witches and it's called Hogwarts and… just come and see!"

The others shrugged and followed Ginny. They were all wondering why she was making up stories. She ran ahead and opened the cabinet.

"There!" said Ginny triumphantly.

"But, Ginny," said Hermione. "It's just an ordinary cabinet."

"No, that's what I thought, too! Try knocking on the back!"

Ron rolled his eyes and rapped his knuckles hard on the back of the cabinet. It was quite solid.

"But… but…" Ginny was annoyed. She knew she hadn't imagined Hogwarts, but where had it gone?

"Nice joke, Ginny." said Ron, also annoyed.

"It's _not_ a joke! It was all there a minute ago!"

"Ginny-" said Hermione with concern.

"Don't _Ginny_ me! Hogwarts is real!" And with that, Ginny stomped from the room.

For the next couple of days, Ginny felt extremely miserable. She knew she was right, so she wasn't going to back down and let her git of a brother win the fight.

Ron thought that Ginny was upset over something else. She had to be – why would she be upset over something she knew wasn't real? It was either that, or that she was just trying to get attention.

Harry and Hermione, however, were worried about Ginny. They thought she might be hurt because of something Ron had said. This was much unlike Ginny, though. Ginny could have been lying, of course, but that was unlike her too. In fact, Harry and Hermione were wondering if perhaps she thought she was telling the truth, and that there was something wrong with her.

The worst part of it was that with Ron and Ginny surly towards one another, it was very difficult to make good use of their time at the Professor's house. After the first day, the weather had become fine again, and Harry and Hermione wished they were using it well. But, instead, Harry ended up going to hang around a sulky Ron whilst Hermione talked with an upset Ginny.

Exactly a week from the "Cabinet Incident", it rained again. Hermione suggested that they play hide-and-seek, as Professor Dumbledore's house seemed perfect for it. She persuaded Ron to play, and Harry got Ginny to reluctantly agree.

Harry was It, and Ron, Hermione and Ginny ran off to hide. Ron, who still didn't know the house very well, stopped at a random door and pulled it open. It was the Cabinet Room. Just as he opened the door, he saw Ginny disappear behind the hinges of the cabinet. He wondered what she was doing in there, and if she was planning to stay in there for a little while and pretend to go to Hogwarts once again.

Seeing it as too big an opportunity of proving his sister wrong to miss, Ron slowly tiptoed up to the cabinet and opened the door. He was stunned when he didn't find Ginny inside. Well, in truth, he couldn't see _anything_ inside. It was just as bare as it had been a week ago. He took a step inside.

"Ginny?" he asked tentatively into the darkness. "If you're there, don't ignore me." There wasn't a sound, not even a tiny rustle of Ginny shifting slightly sideways.

But he'd seen Ginny go into the wardrobe! Maybe it was just too dark for him to see properly. But it wasn't a very big cabinet. Ron's head was spinning. He was beginning to feel claustrophobic. He needed to get out of the cabinet!

Suddenly Ron realised why it was so dark. The door of the cabinet had closed behind him. He felt disorientated. Which way was the door?

Ron pushed against where he'd thought the door was. There was nothing there. He reached further forwards. He must have walked further into the cabinet than he'd realised!

There was a sudden flash of bright light, and Ron worked out that he was no longer standing inside the cabinet. He was in a large, frost-covered forest. So Ginny had been telling the truth after all. How idiotic would he look when Harry and Hermione found out?

_Ginny must be here, too,_ Ron realised. _Probably with that giant she mentioned._

Well, that was no help to him at that moment. He didn't have a clue where he would be. Ron turned to try and find a way back home. He saw a cabinet behind him, identical to the one in the Professor's house. He had just opened the door to head back when he heard voices.

"…My Lord, you are too powerful. He could not possibly effect your power." said one, nervous sort of voice.

"Yes, even so," said another, cold sneering voice. "I would like to be kept informed on happenings."

"I beg your pardon, My Lord." said the first voice. "But I think that Hagrid truly knew nothing."

The two people speaking came into the clearing, and Ron was able to take a look at them. One was fat, with a balding head and an oily face. He looked nervous, and was fidgeting with his hands.

The other was the most horrible person he could ever remember seeing. A bald head set with red, cat-like eyes. An almost flat nose with snake-like slits for nostrils. Thin lips that looked as though they had long forgotten how to smile. Ron could tell instantly that this was the owner of the second voice.

"What _are_ you doing down here?" asked the snake-man. "This forest isn't for _children._ Get up to the castle immediately!"

"Um," said Ron. "What?"

"Is that how you address a Lord?" he asked with a glower at Ron.

"Lord?" asked Ron.

"What is wrong with you, boy? Are you not familiar with the headmaster of the school?"

"But this isn't my school!" protested Ron. "I get home schooled! And anyway, it's the holidays!"

**A/N:** Dun dun dun dunnnnn! Ron's met Voldy! What should I use as the Turkish Delight? I was thinking chocolate éclairs… but whatever. Review! Pwease?


	4. Chocolate Eclairs

**A/N:** Hello, hi and how are ya? Alright then, just to let you know, there's some reeeeaally bad characterisation with Voldemort in this chapter. My excuse? He had to have some of the White Witch's personality, too, being a parody and all. So don't blame me!

**Disclaimer:** If I were JKR I wouldn't have to rip off other people's stories. If I were C.S.Lewis, I'd be dead.

"But this isn't my school!" protested Ron. "I get home schooled! And anyway, it's the holidays!"

"Do you mean to say," said the Evil-looking man, "That you aren't a student of Hogwarts?"

"No, sir," said Ron, suddenly feeling a little frightened. "I'm not even exactly sure where I am. I came through the cabinet." He indicated the cabinet behind him.

"The_ Vanishing _Cabinet?" asked the first man.

"Quiet, Wormtail." said the Evil-looking man. He looked in deep thought. "You say you come from the world of muggles?" he asked finally.

"What?" asked Ron.

"You have never done any magic?" he asked, looking a little impatient.

"Uh… no."

There was a pause in which the man called Wormtail looked nervously from Ron to his 'master'. Then, suddenly, the Evil-looking man stretched his lips into what looked like a very painful smile.

"You must be cold without a cloak." He said. He pulled what looked like an ordinary stick out of his pocket, gave it a wave, and a cloak appeared. Ron stared.

"Well, put it on!" said Wormtail. Ron, quite scared of what else the Evil-looking man could do with his wand, pulled it on.

"You still look cold," started the Evil-looking man through gritted teeth. "Would you like something warm to drink?"

"Oh no, your Lordship." said Ron.

"Oh, please. It's only 'your Lordship' from my _servants_. It's…" the man paused for a second, then; "Voldemort."

"Um… OK, _Voldemort, _I'm fine. I was just going to go back home, actually."

"Oh, but I insist." said Voldemort. He waved his wand and a golden goblet appeared in mid

air, floating next to Ron's head.

"I'll be OK." said Ron hastily, taking a step backwards.

"Drink it." said Voldemort, fairly viciously. In fear, Ron obliged and took a sip of the drink.

It was delicious, and tasted foamy and creamy and warm all at the same time.

"What is this?" asked Ron.

"Butterbeer." said Wormtail with a nod. "Good, hey?" Ron nodded. He felt his distrust for Voldemort melt away like the drink in his mouth.

"What would you like to eat?" asked Voldemort with another forced smile. Although Ron didn't mind nearly as much as he had the first time.

"Chocolate Éclairs?" suggested Ron hopefully. Chocolate éclairs were his favourite food. Voldemort waved his wand lazily and a dozen of them appeared. Ron dug in. They were delicious, like all éclairs, but somehow even nicer. They were also extremely addictive. Ron polished one off in a heartbeat, and started on the second one.

"Now, how did you get here?" asked Voldemort.

"The cabinet at Professor Dumbledore's house." said Ron thickly. He thought he saw Voldemort's eyes flash momentarily with… was it anger? But the next moment he thought he must have imagined it.

"And are you the only one who's been here?"

"No." said Ron between mouthfuls of chocolate éclair. "My sister, Ginny Weasley, came here last week, and had tea with a giant. I'm Ron Weasley, by the way."

"I see." said Voldemort. "And are you two the _only_ ones who know about Hogwarts?"

"Nah, my sister told my two best friends, too. They're staying at Dumbledore's with us."

"What are their names?"

"Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."

"_Harry Potter?_" asked Wormtail.

"Yeah, why?"

Voldemort gave a little sneer. "No reason."

Ron reached out for another éclair when he saw that he had eaten them all. Disappointed, he turned to Voldemort.

"Can I please have some more éclairs?" he asked as politely as he could.

"I couldn't possibly conjure you some more right now." said Voldemort. "But, perhaps if you bring your friends and your sister to me I could give you some more."

"Can't I have some more now?" asked Ron.

"No." said Voldemort coldly. "I'm afraid not."

"OK, where do I need to bring them?" he asked. He knew deep down that he probably shouldn't agree, but he was aching for more éclair.

"Up to the castle." said Wormtail, pointing at the tips of a tower above the trees. "Ask for the headmaster."

"And do not tell them about me." said Voldemort. "If your sister has indeed had tea with a 'giant', she may have heard false, horrible tales about me."

"OK." said Ron again. Voldemort laughed a high-pitched, cruel laugh, and he and Wormtail disappeared away into the forest.

Almost as soon as they had gone, Ginny appeared.

"Ron?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Hi, Ginny." said Ron dully.

"You got in too?" asked Ginny.

"It looks like it, doesn't it? Where've you been?"

"With Hagrid again. How about you?"

"Oh, nowhere. I just got here." lied Ron. "So how was the giant?"

"He was alright. I was a bit worried he was hurt by You-Know-Who on my account, but thankfully he hasn't found out."

"Who's You-Know-Who?"

"He's the Dark Lord. He says he's headmaster of the school, but really he only got to be by forcing the real headmaster out. He's usually accompanied by one of his Death Eaters. His followers." she added, seeing Ron's blank look. "All the students hate him. Well, at least all the _good ones_. The Slytherins don't mind that much."

"Slytherins?"

"One of the houses of Hogwarts. There's Gryffindor, the good ones, Hufflepuff, the nice ones, Ravenclaw, the smart ones and Slytherin, the bad ones."

"Um, Ginny? Maybe we should go back home."

"We probably should." agreed Ginny. "And we can tell Harry and Hermione the truth! They'll have to believe us if both of us have been to Hogwarts!"

At this point Ron realised that he would look extremely stupid if he told Harry and Hermione the truth. He would be confessing that his little sister had been right all the time, while he had just been a git and not believed her.

"Come _on_, Ron!" said Ginny, pulling on his arm. "Let's go tell Harry and Hermione, and then we can all go to Hogwarts together!"

**A/N:** Yes… I promise the chapters will get longer when they all go to Hogwarts! What else is there to say but my usual begging for reviews? REVIEW!


	5. Back On This Side Of The Country

**A/N:** Another chapter, sorry about the shortness, AGAIN. 'Nuff said.

**Disclaimer:** …I got nothing!

It took Ginny and a half-hearted Ron a while to find Harry and Hermione, for in Professor Dumbledore's house the game of hide and seek was still being played. Although after about ten minutes, they found Hermione (Harry had been It) and Ginny told them both in a fast, excited voice;

"It's all true! Hogwarts is real and on the other side of the cabinet and now Ron's been there, too, and I had tea with Hagrid again and I'm not quite sure what Ron did, but he'll tell you I'm sure, or maybe he didn't get long enough time in there to do anything, but whatever, let's go back together!"

"Ron?" asked Harry, blinking.

Ron's mind was whirring. What should he do? She was his little sister. He should be nice and tell the truth. But he didn't want to feel like an idiot in front of Harry and Hermione, and let Ginny win their week-long fight. And so, because Ron felt sick from all the éclairs and annoyed at Ginny for being right, he did something quite horrible.

"Well, you see, Ginny and I have been playing. Pretending that her story is true." said Ron with a snigger. "It's not, of course" he added. Ginny gave Ron a glare of betrayal and ran from the room.

"Ron! You prat!" said Hermione.

"What?" asked Ron, taken aback.

"You let Ginny believe her story was true! Stop messing with her, you git!"

"But… but it _isn't _true!" said Ron.

"Exactly! But Ginny seems to think that there _is_ a Hogwarts, and I think there might be something wrong with her. But whatever it is, you're not going to help by jeering at her and playing with her head!" Hermione screeched.

"Look, guys-" started Harry.

"_What?_" yelled Ron and Hermione at the same time.

"Don't start. Look, Hermione, you go and find Ginny, OK?"

"Alright." agreed Hermione, and with a last glare at Ron she rushed from the room, her mane of bushy hair whipping around behind her.

It was an unpleasant evening. Ginny wasn't talking to Ron or Harry, and she said very little to Hermione. Ron didn't say much at all, still annoyed at Hermione jumping to his little sister's defence and at Harry for not defending him. Harry and Hermione both made very forced conversation.

The next morning, Harry woke up early. Seeing that Ron was still asleep, he tiptoed to the girls room and saw that Hermione was also awake.

"Can't sleep?" asked Hermione, laying down her book.

"No," replied Harry. "I'm worried about Ginny."

"Oh, me too, Harry." said Hermione wearily. "But what are we to do?"

"Well, we could go to see Dumbledore." suggested Harry. "He could be a Professor of the mind, we never did ask him. And he would write to Mr Weasley if he thought that anything was wrong."

Hermione agreed, so the two got dressed and made their way to Professor Dumbledore's study. Hermione knocked softly on the large door.

"Come in." said Dumbledore's gentle voice from the other side of the door. Harry and Hermione both rushed in and started telling him the whole Cabinet story. Dumbledore listened intently, surveying them over the tips of his long fingers. When they had finished, he stated simply but very seriously;

"How do you know that Miss Weasley's story is not true?"

"Oh, but-" said Hermione, and then stopped. "But forests don't just appear in cabinets, Professor!"

"And Ron said they were only playing." added Harry.

"Well, that is certainly a point to consider." Dumbledore agreed. "Both your friend and his sister had contradicting stories. Which leads us to the question, if you will permit me to ask it, who would you say is usually more truthful?"

"Well," said Hermione, considering. "Probably Ginny. But-"

"Well if Miss Weasley is usually the more truthful, then it is quite rude of us to accuse her of lying."

"But we were worried that she might not be lying, exactly." said Harry.

"Oh, insanity?" asked Dumbledore vaguely, and Harry and Hermione nodded. "No, no, she's not insane. One only has to talk to her to see that."

"But-"

"There are three possibilities, Miss Weasley is lying, mad, or telling the truth. We know she isn't mad and you said herself that she very rarely lies. Therefore we must for now except that she is telling the truth."

"But there was no time!" exclaimed Harry. "Ginny ran out straight afterwards!"

"How do you know that this Cabinet doesn't jumble time?" asked Dumbledore seriously. Harry and Hermione couldn't think of an answer to that, and that was the end of the conversation.

The week went on, until on Thursday Dumbledore held a meeting in his house. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny saw a bald, black man and a man with a scarred head and a weird, coin shaped eye until Filch came along and said;

"The Professor is holding a meeting."

"So?" asked Ron rudely.

"So _keep out of the way!_" hissed Filch. The foursome shrugged and continued sitting around on the stairs.

That is, until the door of Dumbledore's study opened, and they heard footsteps and voices approaching.

"They must be heading for the library!" exclaimed Hermione.

"What'll Filch do to us if we get in the way?" asked Harry. The four exchanged glances, and decided that they didn't want to know. The footsteps getting louder, they ran up the stairs.

"Where to?" asked Ron.

"Anywhere!" said Harry, and pushed open the door to his left. Ginny, Hermione and Ron followed him through.

"Oh dear." said Hermione. It was, of course, the Cabinet Room.

"Well, at least no one will follow us in here." breathed Harry. Just then the doorknob rattled and turned. Ron swore.

"There's nowhere else!" said Hermione, and flung open the door of the Cabinet. Harry, Ron and Ginny hastily followed her.


End file.
